Glaucio Pedroso's diary
this is sort of less of a diary and more of a long and drawn-out account of glaucio's experiences from his first visit to the village outside his great-uncle's palace to his many adventures and misfortunes experienced in his years at the school. oops. ''La Vie En Rose '“La vie en rose.”' '''F'OR A MAJORITY OF MY EARTHLY CAREER, I’ve long held onto that specific French phrase. I heard my mother—the women who rose me right—say it once. Why she said it has since slipped my mind. Still, the phrase itself has always stuck to me. La vie en rose. To see life in pink. In other terms, it means “to see through rose-colored glasses”. For some time, I’ve done a great deal of reflecting on the way I’ve applied such a phrase to my own life. Truthfully, I’ve inflicted mortal wounds to my entire being because of this phrase. I will wonder to myself, “How could a simple French phrase do such a thing?” Perhaps you’re also thinking the same, exact thought. If you are, it’s rather easy to grasp how such a simple phrase can do so much harm. I was on the cusp of turning eleven when I received the very last letter written by my father. My father, whose visage is a splitting image of my own. The letter was brief. I could identify the odd nature of his writing, which seemed more frantic and rushed than how he usually wrote. His handwriting was sloppy—sloppier than normal. I remember what he wrote to me, in his frantic syntax and sloppy handwriting: “My ship nears close to the port of Reinos das Rosas each day. I can see the outline of your grand uncle’s palace. However, I implore you to keep this a secret from him and your mother. Expect my presence very soon.” Upon reading that snippet from the letter, I read it over again. Then I read it over twenty more times. Soon the numbers increased tenfold, and I’ve read it approximately fifty times. I kept the letter on my person for the remainder of that day. I held it close to my heart when I settled for bed that night. The following morning, I rose early and found myself rushing to the large gates separating the palace from the rest of the Reinos das Rosas. I waited for him—my father—to walk through those gates, and catch sight of me—his son. He didn’t arrive that day. Nor did he arrive the next day. The days dragged along, and he still hadn’t arrived. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months slowly transformed into years. Years of yearning and waiting for my father. And still I waited—in the same location—every day.'' Like a loyal dog.'' I didn’t know this at the time, but I decided—on my own volition—to put on my own set of “rose-colored glasses”. Those glasses, once adorned, made me think that my waiting was worth something. In the end, however, my waiting meant nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing. In the end, my father never returned. He never once set foot on the palace grounds. He never wrote another letter to my mom, or to Dimi, or to me. I haven't heard from him since—I've yet to hear anything of him since that last letter was sent. Asshole. I was twelve years old when I discarded the rose-colored glasses. I abandoned the phrase “la vie en rose” as well. I had discarded the glasses for good. I had abandoned the phrase for good. Or so I thought. I am now fourteen years old. I go by "Glaucio"—an homage to my father, and his bluish-grey eyes—and I soon expect to find myself in an unfamiliar place. The place is Ever After High, a school known for educating the children of fairy tales. I am the child of a fairy tale, the woman who raised me—my mother, whose presence I’ve dearly missed in my life. Starting tomorrow, I will attend the school as a student. The outside world is full of unknown horrors and atrocities, or so I've been told by my mother. However, I will persevere through my four years at Ever After High. I am determined to persevere through my four years at the school. I simply cannot let these “unknown horrors and atrocities” stand in my way. And in order to allow my perseverance to bloom, I must don the rose-colored glasses once again. I must allow myself to see la vie en rose. Perhaps I must do it for my sake. 'Chapter One: Freedom' T'''ODAY WAS THE DAY IN WHICH I'D ATTEND MY FIRST DAY at Ever After High, in the Kingdom of Ever After. However, before I set off for my departure from Reinos das Rosas, I was allowed to briefly grace the village's townsfolk with my presence. In other words, it was also the first day I'd set foot outside the palace grounds. The first time in what feels like '''forever. It's a rather peculiar feeling, really. For years I've spent most of my life wandering the outdoor grounds of Dimi's palace. Spending time in the botanical garden of Dimi has always been an integral part of my livelihood. In no way am I unfamiliar with the feeling of bathing myself in the sun's radiant, warm rays, nor am I a stranger to autumn's zephyr. I've always considered myself to have a deep connection with Mother Nature and the wonders which exist in her realm. But of course, I've only known the wonders that exist within the confines of the palace grounds. I would have to reach deeply into the inner reaches of my head in order to recollect memories of when I was capable of leaving the palace grounds. It's rather amusing to me, for it's almost impossible to even imagine a period in my life where I was capable of anything—which include leaving the palace grounds on my own, as well as doing whatever I please without constantly walking on eggshells. Those were much simpler times. More happier times. There was a time where I knew what it felt like to bathe in the rays of the sun and experience the breeze of autumn on the outside of the walls of the palace. A time where I could freely wander through the village of das Rosas, while under the careful supervision of my mother and father. I've seen sights and experienced things I no longer have the privilege of experiencing now, such as seeing the joyous visages of the townsfolk, hearing the chatter of the townsfolk and their conversations, and so much more. After a traumatic experience that happened eons ago, I was no longer allowed to leave the palace grounds. The feelings I've experienced in the village slowly gradually slipped away. Today, I finally had the chance to reinvoke the feelings I thought I lost years ago. And I had Dimi to thank for such arrangements (I can only imagine my mother protesting such ideas, but I've yet to hear her utter a single word in eons as well). He's always been a fine, honorable man, though my only grievance with him is is enforcement of my mother's wishes to keep me confined to the grounds of his palace. "It's for your own good." I'd often hear him say. "Your mother wants you to be safe. She wants what is best for you." He'd say as well. I was already overjoyed about the prospect of attending Ever After High, so when I was given the news that I'd be able to visit the village for a little bit, I simply couldn't hold in my excitement. I rose early this morning and quickly rushed to the gates, where I was to meet with Dimi and his company of guards and maids. I'd arrived earlier than he did, so I waited for some time and pondered some things. Honestly, I didn't know'' what'' to expect of my visit. In retrospect, I've never had contact with another individual that wasn't my mother, great-uncle, or the staff members of the palace in precisely seven years. I worried about whether I was truly ready to interact with the other townsfolk. I feared I'd make a fool of myself. Then suddenly, I remembered— “La vie en rose.”'' '' My rose-colored glasses! I figuratively donned those metaphorical glasses, and soon the anxiety—though not fully relinquished—subsided. Before I became fully lost in my own head, Dimi had finally arrived. He was accompanied by his guards, his maids, his gorgeous mare Noite (named for her black hair and mane), my filly Blanche, and the maids who usually accompanied me (much to my annoyance). He was beaming once he noticed my excitement. Then, he called for the giant gates of the palace to be opened. Once they were opened, all I could feel were butterflies fluttering in my stomach—of course, they were good butterflies. Or so I thought. At first, I had no inkling of what I was meant to do in the moment. Was I supposed to walk through the wide, opened gate? What if as soon as I set foot outside the walls, I'd immediately dissolve into a million rose petals, blown away by the autumn wind? It was silly of me to think that way of course, but I truly didn't know what I was meant to do, even with my rose-colored glasses equipped. I was frozen, then I began to shake. Then, I felt a soft nudge on my cheek. Blanche approached me and nudged her muzzle against my cheek. Dimi then approached me from behind and laid his hand on my shoulder. I turned to him and met his warm, hazel eyes. He smiled and gave me an affirmative nod, then said, "Go on ahead now, Glaucio. It's what you've always wanted." I turned to face the wide-opened gates, which exposed the cobblestone pathway that lead to the rest of Reinos das Rosas. I mounted myself on Blanche's back, took a deep breath, then motioned towards the outside of the gate. Slowly, she trotted onto the cobblestone pathway. In that moment, Blanche and I both experienced being outside the palace grounds for the first time in what felt like ages. To my pleasant surprise (and relief), I did not dissolve into a million rose petals. Behind us, Dimi followed along with his guards, his maids, and my maids. My golden locks blew in the cool, autumn breeze, and I greatly enjoyed taking in the warm, radiant rays from the sun. The rose growing from my forehead greatly appreciated such an experience as well. I'd done this many times before, in Dimi's botanical garden. This time felt... different, however. It was different because... I was''' free. ----- 'B'LANCHE AND I LAGGED BEHIND AS WE FOLLOWED Dimi and his procession of company. Admittedly, I didn't know where to direct Blanche because I didn't have a single inkling of where the village was, so I thought it was a better idea to allow Dimi to lead instead. This arrangement proved favorable for the both of us however. It was favorable for me, in particular, for I was able experience and enjoy the feeling of being outside the palace grounds through my five senses. As for Blanche, I could tell she was anxious of the strange and new environment from the shakiness of each step she took, yet at the same time, I could sense that she appreciated a different setting other than the palace grounds. I saw a lot of myself in her, for we both were experiencing something entirely new. Pondering this, I gently caressed Blanche's mane and quietly whispered into her ear, "Good girl, best horse." The seven years I've spent confined to the palace grounds have allowed for me to become very familiar with the exotic flora and foliage Dimi tended to in his botanical garden. He prided himself in his grandiose array of plants, many of which weren't even native to Reinos das Rosas. In the Kingdom of Roses itself, there was never a deficiency of roses, so it was quite obvious that the garden would boast a myriad of lush rose bushes of different varieties. There was also an abundance of the country's national flower, the lavender, as well as foreign plants such as various trees, lush shrubs, grasses, fragrant herbs, succulents, and climbing plants. It was where my fondness of botany and gardening had bloomed the most. Now that I was experiencing the essence of the outside world for the first time in virtually eons, I was quite appreciative of the new plants I've briefly acquainted myself with. To be truthful, the trees and shrubs I've encountered alongside the cobblestone were rather mundane (to say the least) compared to the exoticity of the foliage in Dimi's garden—aside from the abundance of rose bushes, of course. Still, I was still in awe of the new plants I was encountering, even if they were mundane. I've been so used to viewing foliage of utmost exoticity and grandeur for quite some time, so this was a favorable change of pace. Unfortunately, the branches of some of the trees were also lower than what I was used to, so as we passed along the pathway, the branches would sometimes wack me in the face. It wasn't a painful wack in the face, but rather an inconvenient and annoying obstruction. Curse my towering height... The autumn breeze continued to chill my face and blow my locks gently as Blanche trotted along the pathway, behind Dimi's procession of guards and maids. I gazed up towards the sky, which was a soft, cerulean color painted with sparse, white clouds. The sun shone brightly, however it hadn't reached its apex in the sky quite yet. This indicated that it wasn't quite midday yet, which was fortunate for me, since my departure to the Kingdom of Ever After wasn't until sometime after midday. It meant there was still plenty of time for my visit to the village. I let my mind wander as Blanche trotted behind Dimi's procession. I then found myself dozing off briefly, but soon found myself awake once Blanche stopped in her tracks. The procession ahead of us had stopped as well, and I heard Dimi make a triumphant sound. "Glaucio!" ''He exclaimed, ecstatic, ''"We've arrived!" I perked my head up and directed Blanche towards the front of the procession. The guards and maids cleared the pathway to allow Blanche to maneuver to the front, where Dimi and Noite were. Once Blanche trotted and stopped alongside Noite, he and I were almost equal in height. His gaze met mine. His aged and worn—yet strong—face crinkled into a warm smile. He then said to me: "Welcome back to the Village of Roses." -----'O'''UR ARRIVAL WAS MET WITH A FLOURISH OF FANFARE AND CHEERS from the village people. Dimi dismounted from Noite, stood straight and tall (as a king should), and cheerfully met with the townsfolk who had gathered around our procession. Instead of following Dimi's example, I chose to remain mounted on my steed and watched from my position on Blanche as the people—whose expressions were overflowing with joy from having the king visit them—buoyantly greeted Dimi with gifts of rose bouquets and gestures of appreciation towards him. Even the rest of the procession—maids, guards, and all—took the liberty of dismounting from their horses and began interacting with the townsfolk. As I continued watching the excitement unfold, I felt a strange sensation in my stomach. The sensation was like if a malicious entity had taken host of my being and began ''twisting and turning every intestine and organ inside of me. Needless to say, this sensation was rather ''unpleasant'', and I could feel drops of sweat dripping from my forehead. The excitement of the cheers and fanfare seemed to increase in volume, and finally all sounds increased in volume, to the point where everything was simply too loud. "Why do I feel like this? What's happening to me?" I had thought to myself, panicked from the circumstances. Blanche, as if sensing something off about me, began neighing softly. I found myself frantically running my fingers through her glossy mane in order to feel calmer, but the awful sensation persisted. In this moment, I soon realized something. I was nervous. And terrified. Specifically, I was nervous and terrified of meeting the people. And making eye contact with them. And talking to them. In fact, I was horrified of the prospect of having to do anything with them. But why? Why did I feel this way? Didn't I want to visit the village? The village I used to visit all the time, with my mother and father, before my untimely incident so many years ago? I recalled years of wistful yearning for this very day after the incident years ago, and yet—on this day, where everything seemed so perfectly aligned with the longing I've craved for so long, I was absolutely ''dreading''' every moment of this visit. And suddenly, out of nowhere, my vision began blurring. ''"Glaucio? Glaucio!" I quickly blinked to hearing my name called. Looking up, I realized it was Dimi who had called for me. My vision then slowly returned to normal and all noises were no longer as loud as they were previously. The unpleasant sensation in my stomach still resided, but it didn't upset me as much as it did prior to this moment. Dimi gazed at me with a concerned expression, but his face soon softened as he began to speak: "The people would love if you could grace them with your presence." Upon hearing this, I reluctantly nodded my head and dismounted from Blanche. I stroked her mane and she nuzzled me gently. Afterwards, I followed Dimi towards the crowd of townsfolk who had gathered in the center of the village. They were waiting for him to return, but at the same time, they were waiting for me. Upon noticing my presence alongside their king, I could hear whispers and remarks among the people. Their remarks included the likes of: "Is that the lost child of the princess?" "... has grown up so much!" And much more... I tuned out remarks regarding me as the lost "princess" of Reinos das Rosas, because those were simply false. The whispers and remarks soon stopped as a guard blew on a horn, and the crowd became hushed. The horn signified for silence as Dimi was prepared to present a speech before his people. I stood uncomfortable and awkward next to him, who was accompanied by his guards and maids. He stood proud and tall before his people, who were eager in the presence of their king. He cleared his throat before beginning to speak: "My loyal subjects of Aldeia de Rosas, as your king, I am proud to make my appearance before every one of you today." Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. "Easy crowd," ''I thought to myself, then I began to tune out the remainder of Dimi's speech. It wasn't that I didn't care for what he had to say, but rather my mind merely wandered off to a different place entirely. The attention of the entire audience was all on their king, so fortunately for me, I mostly went unnoticed. That is, until Dimi had to repeat my name several times. ''"Glaucio? Glaucio," he said to me as he nudged my shoulder with his hand. I snapped back to reality and realized the crowd was staring at me. ''"W-What?" ''I stammered, confused at the current situation. The crowd began to murmur among themselves, presumably to mock my failure of paying attention. ''"I was just asking if there were any words you'd like to exchange with the royal subjects standing here before us today?" ''Dimi smiled at me, his expression warm and inviting. "''Seeing as you're due to depart to a foreign kingdom, I believe the people would be ever-so-honored to hear from you," ''he explained to me. I gulped. My entire being was riddled with anxiety as soon as I was faced with the reality that I would have to ''speak ''in front of the village folk. I had a feeling the crowd could sense my reluctance as they continued whispering and murmuring among themselves.Category:Amatoresx Category:Amatoresx's Fanfictions Category:Fanfiction Category:Diaries Category:Original Character Fanfiction Category:Work in progress